Timestamp: 65th of Fall 519 A.V.
Kelski cradled the backpack in her arms.
Its load was lighter in a manner that she appreciated. While its magic held its weight to fifteen pounds at any one given moment no matter how heavy she loaded it, currently it was all but unloaded. The Sea Eagle had already set up her equipment, inventory, and all the tools she was carrying into a makeshift gem cutter's space. Her gem retail inventory and her entire workshop that could fit through the mouth of the backpack was now removed from the pack and set up on the top floor of the tower. There were just two more items in the backpack, and they were considered Kelski's most important items ever.
Her children; The Midnight Gem herself and Barn her younger less developed Architectrix. She’d carried them in transition pieces along the sea from Sunberth to just outside of Zeltiva to the Wilderness where the Empyreal Demesne now existed. It was a windswept lonely place, but they’d been incredibly lucky to discover a tower on the property and from that tower, the rest of the manor would grow.
The Sea Eagle stood on the hearth stones of the first floor. They’d made extensive repairs to the tower, but it was still no incredibly fine shop and lovely interior like The Gem had been in the city they’d fled. Here, she would be somewhat run down and crumbling until she got her strength up to make her own repairs. Kelski had no idea how long that would be. Nor did she truthfully know exactly when the dock would be complete.
Plans for the boathouse were being drawn up but not manifested yet. They had to do more jobs, make coin, and be able to pay for such advancements. But once that happened, she’d be able to release Barn again and see if he did better near the sea where he wanted to be.
Kelski stroked the fine black dyed grain of her leather backpack, unfastened its flap-style lid and reached in. Her mind held the firm image of her daughter’s mantle board in it. The board came into her touch quickly. Then she pulled it up and out of the backpack, resting it across her knees. She ran her hand down the aged wood, polished over the years by youth and less by oil. Beside her on the table was a vial of oil and a rag. She laid the mantle piece down on the table and soaked the rag I oil. Then she began to rub the mantle plank, working oil into it.
She smoothed out the rough spots and carefully worked until she was satisfied with how the wood gleamed. Resting the flat of her hand on the mantel wood, Kelski dipped her head in prayer. She reached out to all the gods who had marked her, calling up their images and the way their eyes looked in her mind. She asked them for nothing but the safe transition of her djed daughter into what was going to be her new home; the tower.
She rose leaving the plank for a moment and walked to the hearth. She checked the brackets she’d affixed. Once, twice, three times… it would hold the mantle for many years and certainly long enough for her daughter’s awareness to flow outwards and infuse the old tower.
Gods… what luck was it to fid a building already build here? What unbelievably good luck. Kelski rested her hand on the hearthstones below where the mantle should be and gave her thanks… her deep heartfelt sincerity at the unbelievably nice gift the tower had been.